Flame in the Darkness
by bethylstories
Summary: Set in the funeral home if the walkers had never interrupted that conversation. Summaries suck - just read it. BETHYL & COMPLETED. CONTAINS SMUT. Please review :)
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1: What changed your mind?

"What changed your mind?" Beth asked, her eyes burning into Daryl. He couldn't think straight, and he knew if he spoke, he would most likely say the wrong thing. He found himself meeting Beth's eyes with his own, thousands of unknown feelings rushing through his mind. They stayed like this, eyes locked in total silence, when a small voice finally escaped Beth's lips.

"Oh."

Her stare made Daryl profoundly uneasy. His heart was throbbing in his chest and his stomach was making twists and turns that it had never made before. He felt immensely nervous, and he didn't even know why.

After a few moments, he looked down at his feet and cleared his throat, hoping to rid himself of this strange energy attaching him to her.  
>"You should rest," he told her. "S'been a long day." Beth agreed, and they sat in silence a few moments longer.<p>

She eventually stood up and limped to the door, her ankle throbbing. She turned around to tell Daryl goodnight, but he was suddenly close behind her. She hadn't even heard him get up.  
>"Let me," he mumbled. He let out a harsh breath and, before she could protest, he was carrying her again, bridal style. She let out a small giggle, but they never made eye contact. They'd had enough for the evening, he thought. "And who said chivalry was dead?" Beth teased.<p>

Daryl made his way up the stairs, quietly grunting under the weight of Beth. _She really was heavier than she looked_, he thought to himself. He walked her into one of the upstairs bedrooms and laid her down on the bed, careful not to hurt her ankle.  
>"Alright," he mumbled, rubbing his palms together and nodding to Beth before leaving the room, closing the door behind him. He lingered outside her room for a while, unable to leave, unable to detach the vibrant energy flowing between them. He nibbled on his thumb nail, pondering about what to do next. He had no idea why he was even questioning himself. <em>Just fucking leave, she don't want you here<em>, he told himself.

On the other side of the door, Beth was laid in the bed, her skin still slightly tingling from Daryl's touch. She wished she could say something to him, be brave, show a little enthusiasm perhaps. But instead she just lay there, like she did every night, until sleep took her consciousness away.

Daryl was laid in the casket downstairs, his thoughts taking over his mind and ability to sleep. He wanted to think of an excuse to go back into Beth's room, but he had no idea why.  
>"What the fuck Dixon, she's just a girl," he whispered to himself. But still, he found himself climbing out of the casket and making his way to Beth's room. He knocked.<em> What the fuck am I doing?<em> When there was no answer, he presumed Beth was asleep, and he made this his excuse to turn around and leave. He began to move when he heard the door in front of him open, presenting a young, sleepy, only-wearing-a-top-and-little-grey-panties Beth Greene. Daryl's heart doubled in speed.

"Hey," Beth muttered, rubbing her eyes. "What's up?" Daryl quickly averted his eyes and shuffled his feet.  
>"I uh.. I thought maybe we could go on a supply run tomorrow. Thought you should know." <em>This is fucking stupid,<em> he thought, rubbing the back of his neck.  
>"Okay." Beth yawned; her voice soft. It somehow managed to send a small chill down Daryl's spine.<p>

A few moments of silent passed and the two were still stood in front of each other.  
>"Was that all?" Beth asked, her eyes never leaving Daryl's face. <em>No. That wasn't all. I want to join you in that bed and-<em>  
>"Mhmm," Daryl grumbled, stopping his thoughts. <em>Be fucking careful, Dixon. She don't want you. I don't want her.<em> Beth smiled and shut the door slowly, and went back to sleep, smiling.

He returned to his casket, fully regretting what he had just done. He had just stared at an almost naked Beth Greene. _Beth fucking Greene._ He found the image circling around in his head, and he had to dismiss it quickly before he woke her up again, for an entirely different reason this time. He turned over, and finally, _fucking finally_, found himself drifting into sleep.

…

Morning came, and Beth and Daryl prepared for the supply run. They barely spoke a word to each other, but Daryl occasionally found himself looking at Beth, and Beth found herself doing the same.

Beth only barely remembered what had happened the night before. She knew that Daryl had seen her in hardly any clothes, and she kind of felt okay with it all. They'd been stuck together for a while now, and they were probably going to be stuck together for a lot longer, so it was bound to happen sooner or later. She was dying to know what Daryl was thinking, but she didn't have the guts to ask.

They left through the only entrance to the house and began walking to the local store they saw on their way in. It wasn't too far, a couple of miles perhaps, but it felt a lot longer with the silence growing between them.

"Did'ya sleep okay?" Beth finally asked.  
>"'Spose. You?"Daryl replied, glancing up at Beth. She nodded.<p>

Truthfully, he hadn't slept well at all: he had dreamt of Beth's milky white legs wrapped around his neck and had woken up with the biggest hard-on possible. But he wouldn't tell her that.

"Sorry I woke 'ya las' night, didn't mean to disturb 'ya," Daryl apologised. He looked down at his feet as they walked, feeling embarrassed. Beth giggled.  
>"It's fine. You didn't see nothin' you ain't seen before." Daryl just grunted.<p>

…

"Y'ready?" Daryl asked, his hand on the door knob of the local store. Beth nodded, as he turned the handle and swung open the door in one swift movement. He had his crossbow aimed ahead, and glanced back only to check that Beth had her hand on her knife – she did. They stepped forward slowly, hearing the groans of a walker in the back ground. Daryl signalled to hang tight while he proceeded forward. Beth heard his crossbow fire and she held her breath. Daryl came back from around the corner.  
>"Fuckin' broke my bolt," Daryl spat. He threw it to the side, clearly angered. "Let's just get what we need and get the fuck outta here."<p>

Beth obeyed and began searching without a word. She found some canned peaches, a couple packets of oats and some bottled water. She put them in her bag and looked around for Daryl.

He was down a different aisle, scanning the shelves. He had already found some essentials, but now he was just curious as to what else he could find. In the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a small red box. He picked it up.  
>"Huh," he mumbled to himself. Condoms. He tried to think of any survival uses for them, but only resulted in the thought of being in bed with Beth Greene. He turned the box over, only to find they were out of date. "Fuck."<p>

"What?" Beth asked, stood beside him. He jumped and hid the box behind him, suddenly embarrassed. Daryl's reaction startled Beth.  
>"Nuthin. Let's go," he said sternly. He turned around and began walking out, condoms still in hand. Beth wasn't stupid; she knew exactly what he was looking at. His stern voice had sent strange shivers down her back and almost made her go weak at the knees. She had always loved it when he spoke like that.<p>

…

The journey back to the funeral home was silent. Daryl walked ahead, still embarrassed by what had happened back at the store; still angry at himself for even considering using them, and still confused as to why he had dreamt about Beth Greene. He needed to distance himself from her, before he did anything that he would regret, even if that meant being a total dick to her. It was for her own good. He felt the small red box in his pocket, pressing against his leg. He wondered what he would do with them.

Beth hobbled a few feet behind him, her ankle starting to feel sore. She wondered why he was always so mad. They were alive, wasn't that enough reason to lighten up? A voice broke her thoughts.

"Keep up, we need'a get back 'fore it gets dark," Daryl grunted, still facing away from her.  
>"Sorry, it's just my ankle. It's gettin' worse, I think."<br>"Jus' push through it, y'can rest once we get indoors."

_Yes, Mr Dixon,_ she thought to herself. She hated the way he dictated her, the way he set the rules and that was that. But she was far too exhausted to confront him, so she simply focused on keeping up and getting back to their shelter.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: Keep Dreaming

They reached the funeral home just before dark, and they headed inside. Beth placed her bag on the floor and walked into the living room, while Daryl lingered around the door. He had to get rid of his findings without Beth noticing. He chose this moment to hurry into the kitchen, hoping to find somewhere to hide them where she wouldn't see.

"Daryl?" A voice sounded from behind him. He turned to find Beth smirking at him, looking at his hands. He was holding the box in plain sight. "What are those?" Beth teased.  
>"Ain't nothin' for you," Daryl growled, stuffing the box back into his pocket. "Why don't 'ya mind yer own business, girl." His palms began to sweat.<br>"Daryl, I'm not a girl anymore. I wish you'd stop callin' me that," Beth spoke quietly, her mood evidently changing. "You don't get to treat me like shit just 'cause you ain't got no one else," she said, her anger showing in her voice. "You've 'bin treatin' me like dirt all day!"

Daryl didn't answer straight away. Instead, he turned his back to her and sighed. A silence grew between them. It hurt him to have to hurt her in order to restrain himself from doing something he'd regret.

"Look, Beth, I ain't good fer 'ya. Jus'.. Jus' get outta here an' give me some damn space, before I fuckin' go crazy!" He yelled, still not looking at her.

Beth felt tears rising in her eyes. "Jerk," she said, before storming out of the room and up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door shut behind her.

Daryl stood still, his body wooden with anger and frustration. "Fuck!" He spat, before punching the wall, making his knuckles bleed. "Shit," Daryl exclaimed, gripping his wrist. He winced and scrunched his eyes shut.

Once the pain died down, he sat on the porch outside, smoking a cigarette with his bloody hand. There was still no sign of Beth. Sitting outdoors, he had a few moments to gather his thoughts. _What the fuck is going on?_ He thought. Why was he distancing himself from the inevitable? Why was he being so rude to such an innocent girl – woman – and why was he denying his feelings for her? Were they even feelings at all? He breathed in the poison slowly, thoughtfully, and blew it out of his nose before stepping up and heading inside, dreading his next move.

…

Beth heard a timid knock on her door. She felt her cheeks and eyes swollen from crying, and her head was pounding. Why did it upset her this much in the first place? It was just Daryl being, well… Daryl. She stood up and headed towards her door, making sure she had no more tears evident on her face. She felt uneasy, sick even, but she was ready for whatever came next.

Beth opened the door to find Daryl stood there, looking at his feet. He looked up at her, finally meeting her eyes after so long of avoiding them.  
>"Hey," Beth whispered.<br>"Hey."

They stayed like this for a while, looking at each other.

"You 'bin cryin'?" Daryl asked, actually sounding concerned for once. Beth looked away, embarrassed by her stupid little emotions, and nodded shyly.  
>"Yeah."<p>

Daryl put his palm to Beth's face gently, and brought her face up so he could look at her again. His rough hands were soft against her puffy cheeks. "M' sorry, Beth. I really am," he assured her. Beth's face tingled with the heat of his hand against her delicate soft skin. The sides of her lips curved up into a small smile, and she looked away, embarrassed by her reaction.

Daryl cleared his throat and removed his hand. He began fidgeting and playing with his hair. Beth could tell he felt bad for what he had done, and she could also tell that he felt awkward standing in front of her. She knew he wasn't one for skin-to-skin contact, but he had just done it willingly, which confused Beth.

"D'ya wanna come in?" Beth asked, not believing the words that just left her mouth. Daryl nodded and walked into the room before throwing himself onto the sofa opposite the bed. He groaned, leaning back, rubbing his hand. "What did 'ya do to your hand?" Beth gasped.  
>"Somethin' stupid. It don't matter."<br>"Let me patch it up for 'ya."

Before he had a chance to protest, Beth headed to the bathroom where they kept their first aid kit. She returned with a bandage. "This'll have to do," she sighed. She knelt down in front of him and held out her hand, inviting his. He didn't move at first, but Beth nudged him and finally he gave her his hand.

She began wrapping the bandage around his knuckles, slowly and tenderly. Their fingertips brushed against each other's while she helped him. He felt the energy pulling him towards her. Daryl watched her closely, admiring the way she held his hand so softly, the way she wrapped the bandage around him with so much care, so much experience, the way she-

"There," Beth said, smiling, obviously proud of her handiwork.  
>"Ain't bad," Daryl began, "for a girl." He grinned. Beth knew he was joking as she stood up and playfully punched him in his shoulder. She smiled and sat down on the bed, facing him.<p>

Darkness filled the room as they laid in silence, Beth on the bed; Daryl on the sofa. He stood up and walked to the door, ready to head to his casket.

"Wait," Beth stuttered. She had been thinking all evening, and she finally found a voice for those thoughts. "Can't you sleep in here tonight, with me?"

Daryl looked to the ground, then up at her. "I ain't sleepin' in that bed o' yours though, so get that thought outta your fuckin' head. The sofa'll do," He replied, probably a little more sternly than he meant. He knew he owed her a proper apology after snapping at her, and he thought this would suffice.

"Daryl?" Beth cautioned.  
>"Yeh?"<br>"D'ya think you could help me take my boot off? My ankle really fuckin' hurts," she complained.  
>"How 'bout 'ya watch that little mouth o' yours, then maybe I'll think about it," Daryl joked. He walked over to her and knelt down at the bedside, just as Beth had knelt down to help him earlier. He slowly unzipped the side of her boot and supported her ankle. He lightly tugged at the boot, and slowly removed it. Beth winced, and he eyed her an apology. He placed the boot on the floor and stood up to head back to his spot.<p>

"What about the other one?" Beth teased.  
>"Keep dreamin'."<p>

Beth smiled and settled into bed while Daryl slumped himself back down on the sofa.  
>"G'night," Beth smiled.<br>"Mhmm."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3: The Beginning

Daryl lay awake, watching Beth as she slept, the moonlight shining on her. He watched as the covers that were wrapped around her rise and fall to the sweet, slow rhythm of her breathing. He listened to her quite murmurs as she dreamt about whatever it is Beth Greene dreams about. He thought about sitting up in order to gain himself a better view of her, but he resisted - until it was too much.

He sat up and returned his eyes to her, biting his thumb nail. Only in doing this had he realised that at some point in the night she had gotten undressed. Fully. She was laid on her side and had the duvet tucked in between her legs, exposing one bare, long, soft, pale leg. Daryl laughed at himself. "What a fuckin' tease," he whispered. His jeans grew tighter around his crotch, reacting to the amazing sight of Beth Greene illuminated by moonlight, just like he knew they would. He is a man, after all. "Fuck," he groaned. He noticed his voice had disturbed her sleep as she turned over, tucking her leg back under the covers. She was still sleeping.

He looked away from her, remembering that he was almost three times her age. He sighed, and lay back down, quietly cursing to himself. He found himself grabbing one last look at her in her peaceful, vulnerable state, before turning over and finally falling asleep.

He dreamt of none other than Beth Greene.

…

A few days passed, and every day was the same. Daryl would hunt, Beth would cook, and they'd sit in silence, and sleep in separate rooms again. Beth had often asked Daryl to sleep in her room again, but Daryl refused. Of course he wanted to, but he couldn't allow himself to get too close.

However, this particular day turned out slightly different. Beth was out in the forest picking berries while Daryl stood watch. He saw one or two walkers in the far distance – nothing they couldn't easily outrun though.

"Hey Daryl, there's a lake down here!" Beth squealed, a giant grin masking her face.  
>"So what?" He grunted.<br>"I can't remember the last time I had a proper wash."

Great. Now Daryl would see her naked AND wet. His body began to react to the thought so he pushed it to the back of his head, cautious to give anything away.

"Mmkay," Daryl responded. "Les' get goin' then."

Beth skipped towards the lake. This was the happiest Daryl had seen her in a long time, and it made him feel content with how things were. He wouldn't show it though, of course. He wondered if he would join her in the lake, or if he'd simply stand watch. The thought stayed there for a while. He walked at a distance behind Beth, trying to create as much space between them as possible, without seeming rude. He caught up to her as she was putting her bag down on the grass and she began to undo her belt. After the belt, came her jeans button and zipper, and before Daryl could realize what he was doing, Beth spoke.

"You gon' watch me all day?" Beth teased.  
>"Shit- uh… Sorry," Daryl mumbled, turning away promptly.<br>"S'okay Daryl. It's only my jeans. I do have _some _decency," she teased again. He simply grunted and continued to look away, as difficult as it was. He heard her squeal and he dared a peek over his shoulder. She was poking her toes into the shallow water.

"It's so cold!" She yelled back at Daryl, who was still watching her, a small smile finding its way onto his lips. Before he could think, he found himself sneaking up behind her, before giving her a little shove.

"Lemme help 'ya with that," he said, playfully pushing her into the water. She screamed and Daryl had a hint of worry that she might turn around and slap him, but he was met with her face, smiling, and the worry drained from him, leaving room only for warmth. She grabbed a handful of water and threw it at him, getting her revenge.

"Oh, you gonna play that game, huh?" He growled. He picked her up and carried her further into the water, soaking his own jeans. She kicked and giggled and screamed and protested against him, and eventually he threw her into the water. She landed with a hell of a splash, soaking Daryl in the process. She eventually rose to the surface, giggling, her wet hair running down her face, obstructing her view.

Daryl let out a small laugh and walked over to her, pushing the hair behind her ears, his fingertips brushing her cheeks in the process. He revealed her bright blue eyes and she looked up at him, blushing. He looked back at her, deeply.

They breathed slowly, their wet clothes sticking to their skin, their wet hair dripping into the water below, and they were happy. Beth was the first to move. She closed the gap between them and slowly slid her hands around his waste and put her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Daryl wrapped his arms around her carefully and held her close, their bodies becoming one.

After what seemed like hours, Beth looked up at Daryl.  
>"Whatever happens happens, right?" She let the words escape her mouth. She hadn't meant to, but it was out there now, and there was nothing she could do about that.<p>

Daryl took a small step back and rested his palms on Beth's shoulders.  
>"I-"<br>"DARYL!" Beth screeched, pointing behind him. He turned around to find what looked like 10 walkers, no, more than that, storming towards their position.

"Shit," Daryl cursed under his breath. "C'mon, we gotta go," he said, grabbing Beth's wrist and trudging back to the grass as quick as they could. Luckily they managed to grab their bags and run, their wet clothes still stuck to them and weighing them down. They could hear the rabid groans of walkers behind them slowly getting quieter as they distanced themselves from the lake. _That's the last fuckin' time I put my guard down, _Daryl thought. They ran and never stopped until they reached the front door to the funeral home. Daryl slammed the door shut behind them and grabbed a chair out of the kitchen, barricading the door.

They collapse onto the ground together, chests heaving, clothes dripping, and Beth's fingers slowly interlocked with his.

…

After a while, Daryl had gotten up and changed into some dry clothes that he found at the funeral home. The trousers were loose fitting, so his belt came in handy. He came down the stairs to find Beth sitting on the piano stool, tangled up in her wet top.

"Need help?" Daryl asked, laughing.  
>"No, I can- ugh. Yes please."<p>

Daryl walked up to her. He lifted her arms up into the air and slowly ran his fingertips back down them and gripped onto her top. He lifted, cautiously, realizing what he was about to see.

He threw the top onto the ground and was presented with a shirtless, braless and trouser-less Beth Greene. _Wow._ Beth replied, and in that instance he had noticed he had said it out loud.

"Wow what, Mr Dixon?" She teased, her arms crossed against her chest, shielding her small breasts. Daryl cleared his throat, and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at the ground. He began to leave the room, knowing anything that escaped his lips would be a mistake.

"Daryl – you don't have to go," Beth threw the words at him, "I want you to stay."

Daryl paused and looked down to the ground. He fumbled with his fingers and turned to face Beth.  
>"I'm gonna get you some clothes to put on. Wait here," he grumbled, before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. Beth sighed. She spun around on the piano stool to face the piano and began to play, her breasts now completely in view, her heart thumping.<p>

Daryl entered the room silently, and stood in the doorway watching her play. Her toes wiggled underneath the stool and her fingers moved rhythmically to the music. Her back was bare and pale, and her spine stuck out a little. He watched her as she moved with each note she played and how she seemed so immersed in the music, just as he was so immersed in her. His stomach began to flutter and he could have sworn that his heart had doubled in speed. Then, he noticed he was staring at a young, almost naked Beth Greene. He cleared his throat.

Beth spun around on the stool suddenly shielding her chest again. She gasped a little, and then relaxed. Her arms slacked slightly, and her eyes met his.  
>"Oh, it's you," she giggled.<br>"Who else?"  
>"I'unno.."<p>

Their eyes never lost contact with one another's until Daryl eventually looked down at his feet. He held his arm out and presented a clean set of clothes for Beth to wear.  
>"The jeans might be a lil' too big on 'ya, but they're the best I could find," he mumbled. "Take 'em."<p>

Beth stood up and tiptoed her way over to where Daryl was standing. She brought her delicate hands up to his face and lifted his head, bringing his eyes to hers again. Slowly, she took the clothes from him and laid them on the floor beside her. She brought her hands to his shoulders and slowly removed his angel-winged vest before adding it to the pile of clothes, never losing eye contact. She traced her fingers down his bare arms and held onto his hands, moving them onto her back. Daryl opened his palms, spreading his wide hands across her tiny soft back. He explored her skin slowly and, for a moment, Beth closed her eyes.

"Beth, 'yer killin' me," Daryl grumbled before removing his hands from her back, throwing them down against his sides.  
>"Don't stop."<br>"Beth- "  
>"Daryl. Don't stop. I know you want this just as much as I do," Beth argued.<p>

Daryl mentally agreed. He did want this, but he knew he couldn't go any further, before he did something they would both regret. However, before he had any time to protest, Beth closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against his. He couldn't believe it. Her soft, sweet lips were brushing against his rough lips, and it was okay. It was all okay. He embraced the kiss and returned the favour, closing his eyes. Beth closed hers. Their lips danced against each other's, his hands splaying over her bare back once again pulling her into him, and her fingertips softly caressing his dirty hair. They stayed like this for a while, exploring each other's mouths and bodies, until it was over.

Beth sighed against his lips as Daryl finally pulled away, her breath still apparent on his mouth. She rested her forehead against his and smiled.

"Daryl?" Beth murmured, her lips still tingling at the thought.  
>"Mhmm?"<p>

Beth wanted to express her feelings. She really did. She wanted to tell him of the feelings she had for him, but she thought better of it. It would make her seem weak and needy.

"Nevermind."


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note: I'm super excited about the next few chapters! I've been trying so hard to stretch Beth and Daryl's relationship out as far as I can, but I just can't resist it anymore. I hope you love this chapter just as much as I do! :)**

CHAPTER 4: Innocence

It had been a week or two since Daryl and Beth had kissed – nobody kept track of time these days, what with the undead keeping them on their toes. Their lives went on as usual – they scavenged around the area for food and supplies, they killed walkers, they bathed in the lake and they spoke in the evenings, however not a word had been spoken about their intimate moment. Both of them were desperate to ask the other how they felt, but neither had the guts to do so.

Daryl had decided that staying in one spot for so long wasn't the safest thing to do – they had to keep moving. Beth followed his orders, packing up one day and setting off in an unknown direction towards their next temporary home.

Their journey through the woods consisted of mostly silence, the main sound being the twigs snapping beneath their feet. The sky was clear that day, and the heat was intense. Daryl could feel a bead of sweat resting on his forehead.

"Les' rest up here for a bit," Daryl groaned, lifting the strap off his shoulder and dropping his crossbow to the floor. He threw himself onto the ground and leaned up against a tree, letting out a rather exaggerated grunt as he landed.

"We haven't been walkin' for long, Daryl. Why don't we jus' keep goin' for a little longer?"

Daryl groaned inwardly and attempted to stand up again, before Beth's voice spoke out.

"I'm jus' kiddin'! I'm exhausted," Beth giggled, throwing herself down beside Daryl, imitating his grunt in a rather un-ladylike manner. Daryl slumped himself back against the tree and sighed, trying to hide the smirk that was forcing itself onto his lips.

After a few moments of silence, Beth draped her arm over Daryl's stomach and snuggled herself into his side. He didn't move a muscle. His eyes widened and he panicked a little, his heart rate increasing by a thousand. _Why did this have such an effect on him?_ The sensation of Beth's body pressed up against his side was immensely beguiling, but he had no idea why. She had hugged him before, so why was now so much different?

It was then that he finally looked down at Beth. Her eyes were closed, and she had a faint smile painted onto her face. Her blonde hair was spilling over her cheeks, and Daryl's thumb moved unintentionally to take the hair and brush it behind her ear. He did this slowly, tentatively, and it made Beth's face tingle with a familiar sensation. _The soft touch of Daryl Dixon._ She slowly opened her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering while she adjusted to the light. Daryl suddenly felt nervous – what would she think to him doing such a thing? Did he just make a move? Did he just push her away? The thoughts were racing through is mind and he unconsciously bit the inside of his cheek.

"Thanks, that was getting rather irritating," Beth smiled up at him.  
>"Why din'chya just move it yerself then?" Daryl asked, genuinely curious. Beth motioned towards her arm that was draped over his abdomen.<p>

"'Cause my arm is occupied."

Daryl nodded, averting his gaze to the ground by his feet. _Now what?_ He thought. He hoped that Beth would say something to break the silence, and just as if she had read his thoughts, she spoke.

"When should we start headin' off? We've been here a while. It'll start gettin' dark soon."

_Shit._ They had indeed been sat there for a while, and Daryl was letting his guard down again. Luckily, they hadn't been disturbed by walkers while they had been there, but that wasn't likely to last. Eventually, they would have to get moving again and find a place before dark. He looked back down at her, taking a moment to properly take in her eyes. Her eyes were a deep blue, but that came to him as an understatement. Saying that her eyes were blue was like saying that the sun was yellow. Sufficient, yet not at all accurate to capture the burning sensation they gave him. Her doe-eyed gaze at him made him aware that she had not experienced life like he had. She had not seen the things that he had.

"Mr Dixon?" Beth teased him. It was then he had realised he had been staring.

"Uh, right now. C'mon," he stumbled on his words, embarrassed by what he had just been caught doing. Beth smiled and removed her arm, and he instantly missed the contact. They both stood up and began walking again without another word.

…

"This'll do us," Daryl said, walking towards a small cabin they had come across. The sky was darkening and Daryl did not want to spend the night outside. Neither did Beth.

They stood by the front door to the cabin and Beth slowly opened the door, allowing Daryl in first – their usual procedure. He clapped his hands together to attract any walkers that could be lurking. To their relief, not a single walker resided there. Beth followed him inside and closed the door behind them. Daryl dumped his bag and crossbow onto the floorboards and Beth awkwardly lingered by the entrance, unsure of what to do. _Why am I nervous?_ She thought to herself. She was never nervous around Daryl. She played with her fingers.

"You gon' stand there all day, girl?" Daryl exclaimed, catching Beth by surprise. Without a word, she walked away from the entrance and towards the ripped up leather sofa. She perched herself onto the edge of it, nervously bouncing her leg while looking around the dark room.

"Best get some light in here. Stay here while I go look for some wood," Daryl said, leaving the cabin without another word.

Beth let out a breath that she never knew she was holding. _What the fuck?_ She was extremely confused as to why her attitude had changed all of a sudden. Maybe it was the new environment? Maybe she was beginning to realise how much she missed Maggie, and her dad? Or maybe it was a combination of many things? She just couldn't quite put her finger on it, until Daryl walked back into the house with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. God, he looked good like this. His arms were dirty and flexed as they carried the weight of the logs, and the moonlight somehow illuminated his muscle tone. His hair was damp and clung to his forehead and the back of his neck. His vest hung open, allowing full view to the half unbuttoned shirt that barely covered his torso. She longed to place her hands underneath the shirt.

Her gaze then lowered, examining his dirty, ripped pants that ruffled up at the bottom. She then brought her gaze back up to his face, only to find that he too was watching her. The motions of his eyes closing and opening was captivating enough, his stare met hers and for that infinite moment they were one, the space between them was meaningless.

Daryl dropped the logs and began making his way over to Beth, never dropping his gaze. Beth stood up from the sofa and walked to him, eager to close the gap between them. Once they had reached each other, Beth grabbed his vest and pulled him to her, pressing her lips against his once more. Daryl was both shocked and relieved to know that she wanted the same thing that he had wanted. But, his eyes widened when he felt Beth's tongue shyly asking for entrance into his mouth.

_Wow._

He complied, opening his mouth. He placed his palm to the back of her head to pull her in deeper, and his other hand found its way to her waist. Her hands were still gripped onto his vest, and in that instant he realised that she was unbuttoning his shirt. She slid her hands onto his chest and let her palm lay flat against his abdomen which was breathing heavily. She smiled against his kiss. He felt a rush of heat and excitement at her touch, and that was when he felt all the blood leave his head and journey south. Daryl balled her hair into his fist and tugged lightly, breaking the kiss, much to Beth's displeasure, but not for long when she realised that his lips had simply ventured somewhere else.

Surrendering herself to him, she took in his strong scent as he passionately kissed down the sides of her neck, his lips teasing the pulsing of her throbbing heart.

She let out a small moan and Daryl thought that would be his undoing. The sound that exited her lips was that of an angel, and he found himself sighing into her neck while shivers tingled down his back.

"Daryl…"

He pulled away from Beth and looked at her, examining her expression. He worried a little, wondering if he had pushed her too far, or done something that wasn't right. He wasn't any good at this sort of thing in the first place, let alone when it was with somebody he cared about.

"Can we lie down? On the sofa, I mean… I wanna get comfy."

Beth's cheeks flushed at the request and Daryl groaned. This girl was going to ruin him.

"We ain't gotta go no further if it's too much. We can stop right now if you wanna," Daryl explained. He wanted to make it clear to her that he had no intentions of making any unwanted advances on her.

Beth smiled at him and took his hand, leading him towards the sofa. She sat down and leaned back, pulling him on top of her only to resume their kissing. Daryl was going wild. Beth broke the kiss and whispered into his ear.

"I want to lose my innocence to you. Tonight. Would you do that for me, Mr Dixon?"


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5: Innocence (continued)

"_I want to lose my innocence to you. Tonight. Would you do that for me, Mr Dixon?"_

The words were circling around in his head. His desperate need to restrain himself from pounding into her right there and then was draining out of him, fast. He needed to think this over, before he moved too fast. Before he did something they'd both end up regretting. She was a virgin. This would be painful for her. What was he supposed to do?

Whilst Daryl was hovered over her, Beth was getting rather impatient. She searched his eyes for some sort of answer to her question. She had no idea what he was thinking. All she knew that there was an intense pulsing between her legs that needed to be relieved by the man on top of her.

"Beth, I- we haven't gotta do this. We can wait."

Those were the words that she did not want to hear. She was ready for this, and she thought he was too, until now that is. Now she felt awkward and small underneath his huge frame.

"But, if you are ready for this – I mean really ready – then yes, Miss Greene, I would do that for you."

_Finally._ The words she had wanted to hear. Beth smiled a devilish smile that made Daryl go dizzy. That was a good enough answer for him.

Daryl leant in watched Beth's eyelids flutter shut as he pressed his lips against hers. Their velvety softness drove him wild, and the kiss soon turned into the frantic removal of each other's clothes. Beth sat up momentarily to allow Daryl to lift her shirt over her head. She laid back down and threw Daryl's vest and shirt onto the floor beside her shirt. Their hearts were fluttering and their stomachs were doing backflips with the intensity of their actions. Daryl's pants were uncomfortably tight and it was then that he had noticed Beth had gotten to work on his belt buckle. Daryl watched in awe, her tiny fingers attacking his clothing with such want. When she started on his buttons, he watched her getting frustrated and she eventually threw her hands down at her sides.

"Can you help me out?" she asked him, clearly flustered from trying too hard.

"Jus' slow down, an' you'll be fine," Daryl let out a small laugh, turning to undo his pants. Beth could feel her cheeks blushing as she slowly realised what was really happening. _This was happening._ She was about to make love to the great Daryl Dixon. The thought intensified the throbbing between her thighs and she needed him, there and then. She placed her palm onto Daryl's chest and felt his heavy breaths. He was nervous, and this made Beth smile. She brought her palm up to his cheek and rested it there, watching his expression change.

"It's okay, I want this," Beth assured him. Daryl nodded slightly and brought his eyes to hers. It was so dark, the moon being the only source of light. It only slightly illuminated their bodies, but it was enough to let their imaginations do the rest.

Daryl leant back on his knees and began tugging at Beth's jeans. She lifted her hips off the sofa to allow him to pull them down. He was careful to pull them over her ankles, trying to avoid any possibility of pain. He didn't want to hurt her, not now, not ever. He returned his palms to the arm of the sofa as he leant back over her. She was now almost fully exposed – a simple plain grey bra was covering her breasts, and she had panties to match. Daryl focused his attention to her chest. He brought his palm down and gently grabbed one of them and squeezed slightly. This resulted in a small moan escaping Beth's lips, and he knew he was doing something right.

Beth felt slightly embarrassed to have a man – this man – touching her like this. It felt amazing, new and exciting, but in all honesty, she had no idea what she was doing.

It carried on like this, Daryl caressing her breasts over her bra while Beth wriggled slightly beneath him. She needed some kind of release. It was then that she suddenly felt a gentle pressure between her thighs. Daryl had pressed his fingers there, still over her panties.

"Oh," was all that Beth could manage to say. She threw her head back and waited for whatever came next.

Daryl smirked and breathed heavily. She was soaked. Daryl let a small groan escape his lips at the thought and he felt his cock twitch. He couldn't wait any longer. He pulled her panties aside and pressed a finger into her entrance.

Beth's reaction was insane. She gasped aloud, digging her nails into his arm that still rested above her. She lifted her head to watch his hand at work. He dug his finger deep and when he found her pleasure spot, he moved his finger around inside of her, intensifying the feeling for her.

He loved watching her like this, under his command. He had no idea how any human could give this much pleasure to another. She was squirming and scratching and gasping and saying his name over and over again, his name rolling out of her mouth like a plea for more. He pushed another finger into her, giving her what she wanted. She felt so tight around him, making him both excited and nervous for when they proceed.

He felt Beth's fingers grip onto his shoulder, her nails starting to dig in. Her walls tightened around him and he realised that he was bringing her to her climax. He kept going, never faltering, until her body squirmed and gyrated by his command. She gasped out and her body began trembling as her orgasm came down. He removed his fingers and brought them up to his mouth, tasting her.

Beth opened her eyes, her breathing was laboured and her skin glistened with sweat.

"Daryl, that- "

He shushed her, placing a finger to her lips.

"I know. Y'ready for what's next?" he asked, his own body trembling slightly. He didn't want to sound nervous, but he couldn't help it. He was about to make love to the most beautiful girl he had ever met.

Beth nodded, unable to speak due to her recent high. Daryl moved his palms to her thighs and began to open them, hoping to make it easier and less painful for her. Before he could continue, Beth's hand grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

_Too far?_

"Daryl, ca-can we light the fire? I- I want to… To see you."

Daryl's reply was leaping up from the sofa and scrambling around with the wood, throwing it all into a neat pile. His hands were rushing, he was desperate to get started. This girl was going to be the death of him.

He rummaged around in his pocket for his lighter, and when he finally found it, he clumsily dropped it and he felt around on the floor to find it. Beth smiled at him, trying hard not to giggle.

Eventually, the fire was lit and Daryl was back on the sofa. He began to open Beth's legs but she opened them for him, almost like offering herself over to him. She smiled at him and he groaned.

"Girl, 'yer gonna ruin me, y'know that right?"

"Mhmm."

Daryl finally removed his pants and boxers, throwing them down onto the ground in a hurry. He positioned himself at her entrance and waited. He looked at Beth, and she nodded.

He filled her slowly, her tightness gripping his member giving him an immense amount of pleasure already. Daryl groaned inwardly - he wasn't going to last long. He felt the barrier and ripped through it as carefully as he could.

The pain was over almost as quickly as it started. She gripped his shoulders and scrunched her eyes shut. He remained still, allowing her to adjust to him. A moment or two passed, and Beth opened her eyes.

Her pupils expanded, almost eliminating all traces of the blue outer ring that he so loved. She looked back at him. His eyes were blue, but that didn't even begin to explain all the complicated depths and colours that were there, too. They were the kind of blue that froze her in place, captivated her for even the slightest of moments. Her heart fluttered as she prepared for what she was about to tell him.

"Go."

Beth raised her knees and spread her thighs, receiving a low growl from Daryl in return. He slowly pulled himself back before pushing back into her hot centre. His lips attacked the sweet spot where her shoulders met her neck, leaving love bites and a wet trail of kisses along her collarbone.

He continued his rhythm for as long as he could, making every attempt to ensure this was good for her. He wasn't using her for his pleasure – he was trying to give her a first time she would remember.

Daryl pulled his hips backwards as she mewed quietly. He bit back a moan and felt his skin prickle at her touch, her fingertips slowly caressing his back. Beth pulled him closer to her, not wanting any distance between them any longer. He pressed his weight against her, her nipples grazing his chest as he slowly pumped in and out of her; invading places that nobody had ever ventured before. Daryl cautiously looked up for the first time only to find Beth already watching him. Her eyes found his and she sent him a devilish smile as she lifted her hips to meet his as he thrust himself into her. Daryl growled.

"'Yer gonna send me over the edge in a minute if ya carry on like that."

"That such a bad thing?" she purred.

Daryl buried himself into her neck and placed kisses all over while he continued to pump into her, feeling her meeting his hips with every movement. Her fingers raked through his damp hair as she began to quiver.

"D-Daryl, I- "

Before she could finish, Daryl's lips had found hers and their tongues were sliding against one another's. His rhythm increased and he grabbed both of her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head, while his other hand found her thigh and he lifted it up and wrapped it around his back to gain a better position. Beth was sensually returning his kiss and attempting to free her wrists from his grip, but secretly she liked this side of Daryl.

He continued to pump into her centre and she began to feel a deep heat rising within her stomach. She clenched her fists and pushed Daryl deeper into her using her leg, wanting to feel more. He realised that she was nearing her end and he gave her exactly what she wanted. He thrusted and slammed against her until her inner walls tightened and she cried out against his lips, her eyes opening wide and then slamming shut, before her entire body relaxed and her legs shook.

Daryl found his own orgasm almost instantly after, emptying himself into her before collapsing and loosening his grip on her wrists.

They laid there and lost track of time while their lungs struggled for breath and their bodies quivered. Beth's fingertips caressed Daryl's back until he eventually looked up at her and they smiled together, and in that moment there were no walkers, there was no end-of-the-world, and there was no oblivion. All that existed was her and him and the musky scent of love that they would never forget.

**A/N: I am SO bad at smut. Like, unbelievably bad at it. I really apologize.. I tried my hardest, I swear xD. But I'm afraid this is the end of the story. If you want more, or if you think there's anything I could change, please let me know. Thank you for all the feedback that I've already received, and thank you for any feedback that I am yet to receive. Love you all xx**


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